Cuspidor and cup filler for dental console



July 21, 1970 R. A. SLOUKA ET-AL 3,521,307

CUSPIDOR AND CUP FILLER FOR DENTAL CONSOLE Filed May 24, 1967' 2 Sheets-Sheet l III II I

, I. I l

INVENTORS. RICHARD. A. SLOUAA MILTON R'NIELSEN YATT'YS,

July 21, 1970 s ou ETAL 3,521,307

CUSPIDOR AND CUP FILLER FOR DENTAL CONSOLE Filed May 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: RICHARD A. SLOUKA MILTON R. NIELSEN awn-i) l d- I aug r ATT YS MOE United States Patent 3,521,307 CUSPIDOR AND CUP FILLER FOR DENTAL CONSOLE Richard A. Slouka, Carpentersville, and Milton R. Nielsen, Wheaton, 11]., assignors to American Hospital Supply Corporation, Evanston, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 24, 1967, Ser. No. 640,989 Int. Cl. A61c 17/04 US. Cl. 4-264 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A retractable cuspidor and cup filler arm assembly for a dental console including a stationary receptacle intermediate an elongated arm for receiving disposable cups. The receptacle is mounted adjacent a moveable filling spout which is spring-biased to assume an 0E position permitting unrestricted access to a cup in the receptacle. When the spout is rotated to a position with its mouth immediately above the receptacle, water is turned on for filling a cup held by the receptacle. When released, the spout returns to its normal position thereby shutting the filling water 01f. A cuspidor is provided at the extended end of the assembly with means for continuously rinsing the bowl with water. A horizontal drain conduit is provided for receiving both the rinse water from the cuspidor and any overflow from the cup filler. The cup filler drainprovides a relief path for air trapped in the cuspidor rinse water and thereby prevents the gurgling noise associated with conventional cuspidors.

BACKGROUND The present invention relates to consoles for dentists oflices; more particularly, it relates to a cuspidor and cup filler arm assembly for a dental console.

Dental consoles, of course, are well known; and the prevailing design is toward compact, reliable consoles wherein a cuspidor arm assembly is adapted to be extended to an operational position at which accessibility is convenient, or to be retracted to a position within the console where it may be hidden should it prove to be an operating distraction.

A number of problems exist in dental consoles of this kind which are overcome by the instant invention. One of the problems has to do with providing a cup of rinse water for the patient. It is important that the cup filler apparatus be designed for use with disposable paper cups since repeated washing of a reuseable cup presents a burden to the user.

Although disposable cups are in use, typically, they are used in conjunction with a heavier receptacle or container into which the paper cup is fitted. The container supplies both weight and support to prevent tipping of the disposable cup while filling and to facilitate handling by a patient. The container, of course, must be periodically washed thereby detracting somewhat from the advantages of disposable cups.

A further problem is concerned with the filling of the cup. In order to allow unrestricted access to the cupsupporting area, the filling spout has heretofore been placed at a considerable distance above the cup being filled; alternatively, the filling spout has been designed to force the water at a 45 angle with the vertical thereby permitting easy removal of a cup. In the later case, provision must be made for draining water that may drip directly beneath the spigot mouth.

Secondly, an operator whether a dentist or his technical assistant, had to first select hot or cold water and then turn a screw valve to admit water into the cup 3,521,307 Patented July 21, 1970 until it was filled. The valve is then turned back to shut off the water. Frequently the valve or valves are remotely located from the immediate area of the extendable cuspidor tray.

Another problem of conventional dental consoles is the distraction caused by the gurgling of the continuously-running cuspidor rinse water. As is commonly known, the cuspidor is continuously rinsed by a stream of water directed spirally about the cuspidor bowl. The bottom of the cuspidor bowl is generally provided with a strainer for catching larger pieces of material, such as cotton, prevent- 1 ing their flushing down the drain. The gurgling sound is produced by air trapped in the continuously running rinse water beneath the strainer and forced partially down the drain. This has proved to be a distraction both to patient and dentist.

SUMMARY The instant invention provides for a continuouslyrinsed cuspidor and cup filler on the same extendable arm assembly. The cup filler includes a stationary receptacle for receiving and holding in place a disposable cup. A filling spout is spring-biased into a retracted position out of the way of the receptacle thereby providing unrestricted access in placing or removing a cup from the receptacle. The spigot is moveable to a position over the cup, and in this position, it opens a valve for admitting water through the spigot into the cup. In its filling or on position, the mouth of the spigot is directly over a cup and adjacent the plane defined by the upper rim of the cup. Hence, the receptacle firmly supports an empty cup; and during filling the structure insures against spilling water or dislocating the cup. When the spigot is released. the flow of water is immediately stopped; and the spigot returns to its retracted position under action of the spring.

A cuspidor bowl is provided at the extended end of the arm assembly together with conventional means for continuously rinsing it. A horizontal drain pipe communicates with a basin beneath the cuspidor bowl for receiving the cuspidor rinse water and for draining it longitudinally of the tray assembly. There is also provided an annular channel about the cup receptacle for receiving overflow water. A generally vertical conduit couples the upper surface of the drain pipe with the channel about the cup receptacle. It has been found that this verticallydisposed conduit provides a relief for air trapped in the cuspidor rinse water and prevents the gurgling noise present in other dental console designs.

Other advantages and features of the instant invention will be obvious to persons skilled in the art from the attached drawing in which identical reference numerals refer to like parts in the various views.

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a dental console illustrating the instant tray assembly in an extended position;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along the line 2-2 in the direction of elongation of the tray assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the spigot mounting of FIG. 2; I

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cuspidor and cup filler tray assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section view taken through the line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. '6 is a side elevation view taken through the line 66 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION While the cuspidor and cup filling assembly of the instant invention may be adapted for mounting within any suitable dental console or cabinet, for purposes of illustration it is shown in FIG. 1 to be received in a relatively thin rectangular console generally identified by reference numeral 10. As seen therein, the upper portion of the console defines a cavity 11 fitted to be covered by a door 12 which is slideable vertically and forms a continuous front panel for the console. -A shaft is shown at 13 for supporting a tray and hand implements; but the upper portion has been broken away for a clearer view of the inventive arm assembly.

The cuspidor and cup filling arm assembly of the instant invention is generally designated 14 in FIG. 1; and it is seen in its extended or operational position wherein the direction of elongation of the arm 14 extends outwardly from the front surface of the console 10. As mentioned, the arm assembly 14 may be rotated to a retracted position within the cavity 11 where it may be concealed by the door 12.

The arm assembly 14 generally comprises a side wall member 15 having an elongated horizontal cross section, a top member 16 integral with the rear segment of the side wall 15, a bowl receptacle 17 for receiving a cuspidor bowl 18 at the extended or free end of the arm 14, and a cup filler, generally designated 19. As noted in FIG. 1, when in extended position, the arm 14 is cantilevered in front of the console 10.

As seen in more detail in FIG. 2, a stationary and generally vertical shaft 20 is fastened within the console. The shaft 20 provides both the support and the pivotal mounting for the arm assembly. Received axially of the shaft 20 is a rotatable extension shaft 21. A drain conduit is formed centrally of the shaft 20 and extension 21, as at 22. The top 16 of the arm assembly 14 is secured to the extension 21 by means of a screw 23 threadably received therein; and the side 15 is also suitably secured, as at 24 to the extension 21 thereby forming a unitary tray structure.

A generally horizontal mounting plate 25 extends from the extension 21 toward the free or forward end of the arm assembly 14 beneath the top 16. Mounted beneath the plate 25 is a U-shaped yoke 26 at the rear portion of which there is attached a vertical mounting plate 27. The yoke 26 has a generally horizontal disposition beneath the mounting plate 25; and at its open end, there is pivotally received a sleeve 32. A pin 33 is journalled within the sides of the yoke 26 and fixed to the sleeve 32 to pivotally support the lower end of the upstanding spigot for forward and rearward movement between the retracted position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 and the extended position shown in broken lines therein.

As seen in greater detail in FIG. 3, spigot 28 is threadably received in the sleeve 32 and extends upward through an aperture 29 in the tray top 16. The spigot 28 includes a forwardly and downwardly curved upper portion 30 defining a mouth 31. An elbow 34 (FIG. 2) is connected to the bottom of the sleeve 32, and a flexible tube 35 couples the elbow 34 to another elbow 36 which is fitted in the bottom of a valve 37. The valve 37 is normally closed; and it is fastened to the vertical mounting plate 27 by means of a nut 38.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the valve 37 includes a forwardly projecting plunger 39 for opening the valve when depressed. The plunger 39 is engaged by the sleeve 32 which received the spigot 28; and the valve 37 may be actuated by forward rotation of the spigot 28 about the generally horizontal axis of pin 33 to depress the plunger 39. Normally, however, the spigot 28 is biased to a retracted position as seen in solid line in FIG. 2 by means of a coil spring 40 tensioned between a screw 41 embedded in the mounting plate 25 and the spigot itself.

A flexible tube 44 (FIG. 2) supplies water under pressure to the valve 37 and it is preferably coupled to the same source that supplies water to the cuspidor, discussed later. This may be either hot or cold water or a mixture of the two.

A U-shaped handle bar, generally designated by reference numeral 45 in FIG. 4, including forwardly-projecting side members 46 and 47 located respectively on either side of the tray assembly and an integral crossbar 49 extending transverse of the tray, is journalled within the side member 15 for pivotal motion about the crossbar 49. As seen most clearly in FIG. 3, a verticallyoriented extension arm 50 is welded to the center of the transverse bar 49, and it extends through an aperture 51 provided in a chair-shaped mounting support 52 which is integral with the mounting bracket 25, previously mentioned. The extension arm 50 extends downwardly adjacent the sleeve 32 which receives the spigot 28 so that a downward push on either of the side members 46 or 47 of the U-shaped handle bar 45 will produce a corresponding counterclockwise (FIG. 3) rotation of the extension arm 50 which in turn will both rotate the spigot 28 and actuate the plunger 39 of the valve 37 to supply water to the forwardly-extended spigot (shown dashed in FIG. 2).

As shown, the back of the chair-shaped bracket 52 depends from the horizontal mounting bracket 25, and a seat portion 53 extends horizontally beneath a cavity in which there is fitted a cylindrical container 54. The cylindrical container 54 includes an upwardly and outwardly flared lip portion 55 which is seated in a recess on the top 16 of the tray assembly. Coxaial with the container '54 is a cup receptacle 56 which is located beneath the spigot 28 in its forward position. The receptacle 56 receives a. cup, shown in broken line and identified by reference numeral 57 in FIG. 2. The container 54 is separated from the seat portion 53 of the bracket 52 by means of a spacer 58, and the receptacle 56 is separated from the container 54 by means of a spacer 59.

A bolt 60 secures the container 56, the spacers 58 and 59, and the container 54 to the seat portion 53. The annular space between the receptacle 56 and the container 54 defines an overflow channel for receiving any water that may be spilled while filling a cup or removing it from the receptacle 56. It is noted that water from the spigot 28 will be shut off by action of the valve 37 before the mouth 31 has receded beyond the lip 55 of the overflow channel. This provision obviates a need for a drain for drips beneath the mouth in its retracted position.

The bottom of the container 54 defines an aperture as at 62 for receiving a generally vertical conduit 63 for draining any water that may exist in the overflow channel 61.

Coupled to the bottom of the vertical conduit 63 is a T coupling 64. Received within one end of the T coupling 64 is a nipple 65 and generally aligned with it is a nipple 66 coupled through the extension 21 for communicating with the main drain cavity 22. A sleeve 67 sealingly couples nipples 65 and 66 together so that any water in the overflow channel 61 will be routed directly into the drain cavity 22. In addition, there are provided apertures as at 68 in the bottom of the receptacle 56 for allowing any water within the receptacle to fiow into the overflow channel 61.

Forward of the container 54 on the seat portion 53 of the mounting bracket 52, there is fastened an elbow 70 which receives an upwardly-extending cuspidor spigot 71, which, as conventionally done, terminates in a generally horizontal direction for generating a spiral flow of water along the interior surface of the cuspidor bowl 18. The recess 17 which receives the bowl 18 is seen in FIG. 2 to be defined by an annular shaped flange 72 the rear portion of which is integral with the forward portion of the seat member 53.

The lower center portion of the cuspidor bowl 18 defines a neck member 73 in which there is removably fitted a strainer or basket 74. A rod 75 having a handle 76 extends through a central aperture in the strainer 74, and at the lower end of the rod 75 there is provided a cup-shaped catch 77. A basin 78 is supported by the annular flange 72; and it, in turn, receives at its upper aperture, the neck 73 of the cuspidor bowl 18. An O-ring 79 seals the external surface of the neck 73 with the basin 78. A stopper member 80 is provided at the bottom of the basin 78 for stopping the downward motion of the catch 77.

The purpose of the catch 77 is to trap the heavier, more expensive materials used for fillings and the like as they fall through the strainer 74 so that they are not washed away with the rinse water. The stopper 80 sup' or's the catch 77 somewhat above the lower surface of the basin 78 so that water does not continuously rush across the catch 77 and carry away these expensive metals. The function of the strainer 74 is to catch larger pieces of material such as cotton and the like so that they do not clog the drain. A generally horizontal conduit pipe 81 couples the interior of the basin 78 with the T coupling 64 located beneath the container 54. k

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the continuously running rinse Water within the cuspidor 18 will fall through the strainer 74 and into the basin 78 from which it will flow laterally along the conduit 81 beneath the vertical drain pipe 63 and eventually into the drain cavity 22.

We have found that with this advantageous arrangement of having the overfiow channel 61 located above the horizontal drain pipe which routes the cuspidor rinse water and coupled to it by means of a vertical drain pipe, we have been able to eliminate the previously-described undesirable gurgling noise found in prior construction. The vertical conduit 63 acts as a relief for air trapped by the cuspidor rinse water beneath the strainer.

A conduit 82 is coupled to the elbow 70; and as seen in greater detail in FIGS. -6, the supply conduit 82 is connected to a valve 83 by means of an elbow coupling 84. The valve 83 receives its water supply through an input conduit 85. The valve 83 is provided with a plunger 86 which rides on a ball 87 received within a seat member 89 beneath the valve 83. When the tray assembly is rotated to its operational postiion, the ball 87 is cammed upward depressing the plunger 86 to supply rinse water through the input conduit 85, the valve 83, and the flexible tube 82.

Having thus described in detail a preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be obvious that certain advantages are present which did not exist in the prior art. Of these advantages, the most beneficial from the standpoint of dental technique have to do with the structure providing a spring-biased filling spigot which is operated responsive to a forward motion for filling a disposable cup firmly supported by a stationary receptacle thereby facilitating filling of the cup. Filling may be more quickly accomplished in the instant invention, if desired, due to the proximity of the mouth of the spigot to the cup. The water pressure may be higher than has heretofore been used.

Further, the spigot may be operated by means of the U-shaped actuator having forwardly projecting arms on either side of the tray itself. Thus, the cup filler may be operated either by a dentist, a technical assistant, or a patient.

Further, with the provision of a generally horizontally drain communicating with a basin beneath the cuspidor bowl and provided with a vertically-extending relief conduit (preferably having the dual function of serving as a drain for an overflow channel about the cup receptacle), 6

we have been able to eliminate gurgling of the cuspidor rinse water as it drains from the cuspidor.

It will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that certain structural modifications may be made without departing from the principle of our invention; and it is therefore intended that all such modifications and equivalents be covered as they are embraced within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an arm assembly for a dental console, the improvement comprising: receptacle means on said arm assembly for receiving a cup; means coupled to said arm assembly for filling a cup received by said receptacle means, including an upstanding spigot having a forwardly turned upper portion terminating in a downwardly facing mouth, said spigot being pivotally mounted at its lower end for movement about a generally horizontal axis between a first position wherein the mouth of said spigot is disposed over said receptacle means and a cup received thereon and a second position wherein said mouth is displaced away from above said receptacle means; and means responsive to the position of said spigot for supplying water thereto only when said spigot is in said first position.

2. The structure of claim 1 further comprising: means defining a channel about said receptacle means for draining water away from said receptacle means.

3. The structure of claim 1 further comprising spring means coupled to said spigot means for resiliently holding said spigot in said second position whereby said spigot may be moved to said first position for filling a cup and released, said spigot returning to said second position under action of said spring means.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said receptacle means comprises a cup-shaped receptacle mounted on said arm assembly for receiving a disposable cup beneath the mouth of said spigot when said spigot is in said first position.

5. The structure of claim 3 further comprising auxil iary means including a handle rotatably mounted on said arm for engaging said filling means and moving said spigot to said first position when rotated.

6. The structure of claim 3 further comprising means defining a channel about said receptacle for receiving water spilled from said cup; and drain conduit means communicating with said channel for draining water therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 655,051 7/1900 Browne 4-263 774,953 11/ 1904 Rieker et a1. 4262 824,287 6/ 1906 Cooper 4263 924,515 6/ 1909 Weber 4263 1,649,182 11/ 1927 Pieper 4263 1,848,456 3/1932 Beebe 4--192 1,959,964 5/1934 Pieper 4262 3,359,575 12/1967 Nielsen 4263 FOREIGN PATENTS 3/ 1898 Great Britain. 332 5/ 1887 Great Britain. 3,703 2/ 1905 Great Britain. 1,358,018 3/1964 France.

161,779 8/ 1933 Switzerland.

5 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

